


Shadows In The Flickering Light

by azureheavens



Series: Let The Sun Chase The Moon [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Almyra (Fire Emblem), Celebrations, Dancing, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Hilclaude Week (Fire Emblem), I WILL write Dancer Hilda and no one can STOP ME, Post-Canon, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:46:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24636289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azureheavens/pseuds/azureheavens
Summary: Hands clapped to the beat as feet pounded the lacquered wooden platform. Above the song of lyres and percussion, countless voices chanted and cheered. Shadows danced in time with their masters, circling the blazing bloom.Khalid nudged her, tipping his head towards the circle. “Want to join them?”Hilda smiled wistfully. “I think I'll just watch."
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Series: Let The Sun Chase The Moon [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786609
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36
Collections: Hilclaude Week 2020





	Shadows In The Flickering Light

**Author's Note:**

> Spiritual successor to one of my other fics, Moon’s Light. I struggled to write this for a loooong time, almost giving up. It was originally meant for the Dancing theme, but I realized it was even better for Fodlan/Almyra (and scrambled to write Please Say Yes to fill the gap). Hope you enjoy!

_ Tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap  _

Hands clapped to the beat as feet pounded the lacquered wooden platform. Above the song of lyres and percussion, countless voices chanted and cheered. Shadows danced in time with their masters, circling the blazing bloom. 

Tonight was the start of a week of celebrations for the coming new year. Almyrans gathered in crowds to feast and dance, to burn away past regrets while honoring those who had passed on. Pine seeds tossed into the flames filled the air with a cleansing aroma, tickling the memories of years long past. Khalid leaned in close to Hilda as they watched from their seat of honor, recounting every piece of lore and superstition. She nodded along, eyes fixed on the dance, her finger lightly tickling his calloused palm. He did the same to her, enjoying the goosebumps. 

_ Tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap  _

As firelight played against her eyes, he watched her. Same as when she downed several water cups during meals to cool the fire on her tongue. Same as when she leaned into conversation, wielding her sweet words to bridge the language gap. What thoughts ran through her mind? Did she like being in Almyra? Parts of her seemed hesitant, like the eyes of someone lost in a new and foreign place. 

Nerves, he decided. When he escaped to Fodlan all those years ago, no number of books could prepare him for actually living there, though he hoped he did well enough. Hilda had more time to prepare, but this would be the first they traveled as the future king and queen. Currently, they were visiting Nader’s birthplace, a small village by the southern coast. Their reception warm and lavish for a village of roughly a hundred, but it seemed to Khalid they found any excuse to celebrate. 

_ Tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap  _

Nader himself led the chant, rousing the crowd with the musicians to honor those who passed in battle. The village’s dance troupe took center stage. Colorful ankle-length skirts twisted and flared. Metal bangles glittered as they flicked their wrists, mimicking the billowing smoke. 

The dancers were phenomenal, but nothing like his Hilda. She didn’t win the White Heron Cup all those years ago on luck! Midway through the performance he nudged her, tipping his head towards the circle. “Want to join them?” 

Hilda smiled wistfully. “I think I'll just watch,” she whispered. “I’d stick out if I don’t know the routine.” 

“Just go and dance. You’d be great at it.”

She fiddled with the silk sash at her waist before shaking her head. “I wasn’t saying I’d be bad... I don’t want to go up there and make a fool of myself.” 

He clicked his tongue. “What about the moves those kids taught you earlier? You may have been a beginner, but it was still hard to keep my eyes off you.” 

When she shot him a wry look, he just shrugged and turned away. Khalid could have expected that, but he still wondered. Hilda spent her life slipping by unnoticed, but always dazzled once she stepped into the light. Perhaps no fire could burn at all hours. He was simply glad to have her by his side. 

_ Tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap  _

When the ladies finished their performance, the villagers again flooded the platform. The musicians burst into a frenetic and lively rhythm. Men and women jumped up from the crowd, whooping and crying out, silhouettes burning against the flame. No routine, just passion. Every step shaking off whatever fear or doubt remained in the body, clearing it for the next battle. From his seat Khalid tapped his foot to the beat, twitching to do the same. 

“Go up there,” Hilda whispered, leaning into his ear. 

He raised a brow. “Are you sure? I’d hate to abandon you.” 

“You won’t hurt my feelings, so just go! You look like you might explode if you don’t.” 

Laughing, Khalid kissed her cheek then stood to join the circle. The crowd gave a soft rise when the visiting prince joined them, new vigor in their voices. Grinning, Khalid followed their lead and thrust out his hands in time with the music. A rattle of seeds fell into the flame. The air bloomed with fragrance. 

_ Tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap  _

Nights like these were treasures for him growing up. Putting aside who your neighbor was and just giving  _ in _ the music. The lyrics, sung with fervor and sometimes little skill, commanded the pine seeds to burn away cowardice, freeing you to fight with your whole spirit. Smoke threads weave through the air, guiding the fallen to the life beyond. Dancing and singing to show their light hadn’t died, that it was reborn and carried on with the living. 

Khalid always saw something deeper in it: That living itself was the brighter light. Shake off your doubts to reach beyond what you could see. Gather your courage to challenge the impossible. 

And even if she only watched, he could help her see the beauty in this not so foreign world. 

_ Tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap, tap tsa-ra rap tap  _

In his second raucous round, he spied a young man in deep conversation with Hilda. Her lips staggered through her sentence as the boy nodded, listening. Then she smiled a sweet thank you as the boy bowed and dashed into the crowd. 

_ Already working your magic for a favor? _ Khalid thought, shooting her a chiding glance before again losing himself in the dance. The fire’s heat stung the back of his neck. His heart thumped to its own beat. But before he was ready, the song ended. Shouts burst from his fellow dancers, eager to go again. Khalid shut his eyes let go of a breath, grinning as Nader passed by with a slap on the back. He would have to gloat to Hilda about how free he feels now. 

The cheers shifted into murmurs of surprise. Khalid looked up. 

All the other dancers had gone. His shadow stood alone as the villagers watched with attentive awe. In the crowd, the boy with Hilda earlier popped up beside Nader, who shot him a wink. Confused, Khalid scanned the crowd for- 

The musicians change the pace, rapping out a new rhythm. 

_ Rap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap, Rap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap  _

A silk sash flew over his face and tightened around his chest, the crowd whooping in excitement. Translucent fabric shimmied down his torso before flicking off to the side. His eyes followed. Biting her lip, eying him coyly, Hilda pulled the sash through her fingers in a grand motion. Then she whipped it through the air, flicking it in time to the beat as she whirled and danced around him. Hollers and claps cheered her on. 

_ Rap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap  _

Intrigued, Khalid watched Hilda as she circled him. When he snatched her waist, she spun away with lithe grace, long dress fluttering at her ankles. Facing him and wiggling her brows, she tied the sash around her hips before turning to the crowd. Arcing her arms like tendrils of smoke, feet tracing circles over the wood. She followed ladies’ dance from before to near perfection, with a few embellishments of her own. 

Khalid fought an enamored smile. How like her to keep surprising him. 

_ Rap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap  _

Feeling rougish, Khalid flew to Hilda’s side and mimicked her, wrists flicking and swaying with exaggerated precision. She threw her head back in a laugh, upping her speed and technique. The whole village burst into sing, an old folksong about how the stars above look dim compared to a magnificent beauty. Hilda steps back with a pose, basking in the music. 

_ Rap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap _

Khalid beckoned her over, crouching low. A moment’s hesitation, then Hilda ran and rolled over his back, skirt fluttering in an impressive arc. She landed a flourish. The crowd cried out in delight. At last he caught her hand and she spun into him, smiling face inches from his own. 

One hand on her waist, the other clasped in hers, they waltzed, retracing neglected memories from the academy. World spinning around them, Hilda’s skin glistening with sweat and effort, the once stiff routine is reborn, a Fodlan dance to Almyran song. 

_ Rap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap tsa-ra tap!  _

The musicians reach their finale. With one last twist, Khalid dipped Hilda low as she kicked her leg high in the air. 

The village burst into celebration again. Dancers again swarmed the platform. Breathless, Hilda threw her arms around Khalid as he pulled her to her feet, stopping to settle his pounding heart. The two ducked off back to their old spot and Hilda blew out a long, exhausted breath. Khalid just laughed. He would never need to dance again. Nothing he else could fathom would ever be as exhilarating. 

Cheeks sore from smiling, Khalid watched the dancers again. The young man from before held out his arms in an empty box, swaying in a tuneless waltz. To think such a stiff dance would catch an Almyran’s fascination, but the sight filled him with satisfaction. 

“...Was that good enough?” 

Khalid turned to Hilda, who looked up at him sheepishly. Only now did she give in to her nerves. “I really did want to join before, but the thought of embarrassing myself was too much. Then as I kept watching, everyone looked so relaxed and free. Especially you.” She set her hand over his heart, palm pressed tight. “It ended up being a lot easier to ask the musicians to let me try, so I figured... Why not give it a go?” 

“...You were more than good,” Khalid told her and gathered her up in his arms. “You were spectacular.” He kissed her warmly, and she held him tight. Grateful for the heat of the fire, the light of the stars above. Hilda grabbed his hands, glowing with delight and determination, and pulled him with her back to the flame. 

Together, their shadows stained the earth, carving their dance into history.


End file.
